It was 13 years ago in ’97. My friend called to say there would be a meeting to see about reviving the Ag Program at the High School. Was I lucky? Another committee. Just what was missing in my life!

But the request came from some homies from the 'hood, so what could I say. Bettinelli, Wight, Hardin, Sculatti, Trinchero, Pina, plus the Neals, and Dr. Gold were leading the charge. Unlike me, most were card carrying members of Martel Cooper's Ag program and were upset that here, in the heart of the wine country, there was not a local Ag program .

Vocational training had little support from the administration. Having attended St. Helena High we begged to differ. We were into “parallel tracks”: College was fine for some, but those interested in careers should be entitled to vocational training and the respect inherent therein. All jobs had dignity.

It seems that in the 70's the legendary Mr. Cooper retired and for a quarter of a century school folks somehow felt farming wasn't a worthy subject to be taught in today's hip schools. Apparently, we had become too hoity-toity for that.

Ronnie went to former FFA'er Mike Thompson, who took about five minutes to get Governor Pete Wilson to sign over a hundred grand in seed money. All we wanted to do was re-hab the old World War II Quonset Hut that used to house the Ag Program in the 60’s. But noooooooo.

Quonset huts that were built to withstand World War II bombs were not deemed safe enough by bureaucrats for school children.

Go figure.

So instead of re-habbing the 4,000 square foot shell, for about a $1.95, we had to tear it down and build a new building. Cost? Close to a mil.

It's the world we live in.

The Administration back then was a hoot. They wanted to do surveys (that’s code for stall until the luddites go away) to find out if this was something the children really wanted.

We were old school and uninterested in kids telling adults what classes they should take. Plus we had that Grant which the Administration just couldn’t turn down.

“Build it and they will come.” We said.

Whatever it takes was our mantra. The Superintendent was beside herself. We were her worst nightmare.

It didn’t matter. Wherever we went, folks said "Count me in.” The Ag Classrooms and welding shop became reality.

Not a cent came from School Bond money. The Trincheros and Berringer s kicked it off with $25,000 apiece. All the major wineries followed suit. Neighbors, ag suppliers, and farmers like Bettinelli, Wicker, Wight, Abreu, Barbour, and the Pina Brothers (among many others) helped out. Folks offered the use of farm equipment or field expertise. Dave Zumwalt offered land for experimental plots.

The Ag curriculum was designed for the 21st century because tomorrow's farmers were going to have to be as conversant with satellite imagery and thermography as they were with ph balances and genetic cloning. Yet, they still would have to know how to change a spark plug.

Today we’ve gone from one Ag Teacher to three. Some 260 kids (out of 500) are in Ag and our vocational offerings include Web Development, Graphic Design & Digital Publishing; Video Production, Development & Broadcasting; Food Science & Culinary Arts; Floral Design and Production; Ag Mechanics/ Structures (woodshop, electrical, welding, masonry, metalwork, construction); Viticulture; Photography and the coup d’ grace, Winemaking. Winemaking in high school! Don’t you love it!

It’s a far cry from what that little group envisioned 13 years ago.

Not long after the Ag buildings were in place, the Board hired Alan Gordon. He followed our template and partnered with the Trincheros, Gambles, Ericksons, Rudds, Beckstoeffers et al. to build 22 million dollars in facilities—including a Boys and Girls Club on school property--all at no cost to local tax payers.

While other schools are cutting back on music and art, we’re building a new performing arts center--but I digress.

Currently, Alan Gordon is working on a 4,8 million dollar matching grant from the State to build a 9,000 sqft Ag Barn. Overpaid? He was the best investment this District ever made.

BTW, that grant will have to be matched—by locals. So if you’re undecided or don’t know the facts about the Recall, you might check the ads to see which way folks--who support our schools with their pocket books—are voting--and vote accordingly.